The present argument was crafted introspectively by the author to equate the qualitative feeling of the solar eclipse to the mental process of dissociation. The solar eclipse is a phenomenon where, during the day, the sun is covered up by the moon. During this time, for a few brief moments, you can stare directly into the sun and even see the outer layer known as the corona. Conversely, yet related in a nonmaterial sense, to disassociate is to feel "disconnected from yourself and the world around you." When the sun blinks out during a total solar eclipse, it's like you step outside of time and space into a place where you can see that you are part of the world, not disconnected from it. The purpose of this argument is to describe a relatable analogy for battling your way out of dissociation where a scientific phenomenon meets a psychological process. The hope is that this argument will shed light on the connection of community involvement, shared experiences, and novel events with the process of unrealness/ disconnection from your mind, body, and the world around you.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Ashley Elizabeth Pailet (2024) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: